Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Shane's parents recently went to Mexico for a week to escape the New England winter. White sand beaches, crystal clear blue water, and tons of amazing food all prepared (and cleaned up) by someone else - yep, I was jealous :) Since I couldn't tag along, I did the next best thing - took a little getaway of my own down to their house to keep an eye on things while they were gone. I spent the week cooking and baking up a storm in their kitchen, filling their freezer with treats for them to enjoy when they returned. I knew they'd be getting in late and might need a snack, so I also left a plate of freshly baked oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies on the counter to greet them. I'm equal parts thoughtful and evil, what can I say?



My oatmeal cookies have to be thick and chewy - thin and crispy just doesn't work for me. These are actually a little bit of both worlds. They are quite thick and definitely chewy, but also have a bit of a crisp exterior. I've recently discovered bags of chocolate chunks in the baking section at my grocery store, and used those here. It sure beats having to cut my own chunks from a bar of baking chocolate! If you prefer raisins in your oatmeal cookies you could sub those for the chocolate, or even do a combo of the two. Chilling the dough isn't necessary, but if you do, the resulting cookies will be even a little thicker.

While these definitely make a great late night snack, they also work nicely for breakfast, in case you were wondering :)

Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
from The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (7 oz) packed light brown sugar
1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups (9 oz) old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients, beating just until combined. Mix in the oats and chocolate chunks until evenly distributed in the dough.

Divide the dough into 2 tablespoon balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown (the centers will still be pale - don't overbake). Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool a few minutes before removing them to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough (be sure to let the baking sheet cool in between batches).

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 18 cookies